Wire-spoke wheel.



e. P. B'. How. WIRE SPOKE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED OCT. II, I9I6 Yae'nted. Dec. 3L, 1918.

GABRIEL P. B. HOYT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WIRE-sPoKE WHEEL.

assenso..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application led October 11, 1916. Serial No. 125,007.

T0 all whom t may concern:

y Be it known that I, GABRIEL P. B.- HoY'r, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof the city of New York, Jamaica, borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Vire-Spoke XVheel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object ot the invention is to provide a new and improved wire spoke wheel for use on bicycles, automobiles and other vehicles, and arranged to render the wheel exceedingly strong and durable, to permit of conveniently and quickly placing the spokes in position on the hub and rim of the wheel, and to allow removalof any one of the spokes and replacing thereof by a new one, if necessary, and to dispense entirely with nipples, nuts and like devices now generally used in the construction of wheels of -this type.

use is made of front and back pairs of wire spokes arranged one relative to the other to form a truss connecting the hub with the rim or felly.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is al face view of a lportion of a Wire spoke wheel; i 2

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same with the fixed head of 'the hub shown in elevation;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged'sectional side elevation of'a portion of the hub and the inner end of the spoke in detached position; and

4 is a reduced face view of the wire spoke wheel.

The wire spoke wheel in its general construction consists of'a hub 10, sets of wire spokes l1 and a rim or felly 12, of which the hub 10 is mounted by ball or roller bearings 13 on the axle or spindle 14, in the usual manner. Each set of wire spokes 11 consists of a pair offfront spokes 15, 16 and a pair of rear spokes 17, 18, and each of the spokes 15,16, 17 and 18 is provided at its outer end with a ball 19 engaging a correspondingly shaped, socket 20 formed in the inner face of the rim 12. The sockets 20 are .open at the outer'ends for the insertion of the spokes and are provided with cut-out accidental In order to accomplish the desired result `Athreaded end 41 of the hub portions 21 at the bottoms to allow swinging movement of the spokes in a transverse direction' for the purpose hereinafter lmore fuily explained. The sockets 2O are spaced equal .distances apart in a vcircumferential direction, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1, but the sockets for the two pairs of spokes are located in different planes, as will be readilyv understood by reference to Fig. 2. The inner end of each of the spokes 15, 16, 17 and: 18 is provided with an angular attaching member 22 having a longitudinal .Split 24 and the said angular member is adapted tol engage a recess 23 formed non-radially in the peripheral face of the hub, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. By splitting each angular attaching member 22 the latter is provided with spring jaws which clampingly engage the wall 'of the recess 23 to hold the member 22 against disengagement from the corresponding head flange; and without the use of other fastening devices.

The angular members 22 of the spokes 15 are attached to an annular flange 25 formed on a movable hub head 26 provided with a second annular flange 27 engaged by the angular members 22 of the spokes 16. T he angular members 22 of the spokes 17 engage an annular flange 28 formed on the hub head30 provided with a second annular flange 29 engaged by the angular members 2 2 of the spokes 18. The hub head 30 forms an integral part of the hub 10 while the hub head' 26 is movable on the hub toward and from the fixed hub head 30. For this purpose use is made of a nut 40 screwing on the outer 10, and this nut 40 is rotatably mounted in the head l26. The head 26 is held against axial movement on the nut 40 by the use of a ring 42 seated in an annular recess 43 formed in the inner wall of the head 26, the said ring 42 also extending into an annular groove t4 formed exteriorly on the nut 40. The back of the flange 27 of the movable hub head 26 is provided with one or,I more keys 45 extending into keyways 4:6 formed lengthwise lo n the outer face in the hub 10 so that the head 26 is held against individual rtation and the hub 10 rotates with the latter and the head 26 can be moved inward or outward, that is, toward orfrom the head 30, by turning the nut 40 correspondingly, namely, screwing or unscrewingthe same on the threaded end 41 of the hub l0. The outer end ofthe nut10 is the spokes'l and 16' are arranged in paral-' screwed inward on provided with polygonal-head convenient application offa wrenchv or "other,

tool, to perm't of easily screwing the nut. in.

the hubvlO.

' In assembling ,the parlts,'uthe nut athis-1,.V the hub v10 thus movingj' the hub head 26l in a like direction to permit;

'of conveniently engaging the: several spokes 15, 16,117 and1`8 with, the sockets 19 andthe A been done, the'iiutv 40 is screwed outwardly .to firmly seat-theballs19 in 'th'eiifsofkets 20' and to thus draw the 'spokes '15, 16l7`and 1,8 tight -to insure-.a irmconnection with the huband the rim.'-

I j if The spokes15,v16 have theirhub eiids'22 and their ballends 19 spaced apart and theends ofthe spokes'l'?, 18 are siniilarlyclisposed, and the spokes 15, 16j. and"- 17,'1'8. converge outwardly fromvthe hub and are. pref.- erably 'disposed approximately tangentiially; to the.correspondinghead flanges 25,' 2 7 and, 28,;`29 A I .'Byreferenceto Fig. 2 it willbev noted that vl. lel conical surfaces, and the' spokes 1.7 andliA are arranged in are likewise disposediniparallel.conical sur.- f

lSS but the conical surfaces oflsthe .spQl;eg'- l5 and 16 are 'converging outwardly @Omg theihub relative to the conical surfaces of the;

spokes -17 'and 18. It will-further benoted that the sockets 2O of the spokes-16 and 17 the spokes 15. and 18, that is, the latter socky By arranging the spokes v15, 16 and 17', 18 in pairs and one`relati-ve tothe other, as shownand ldescribedpitvis evident that ay truss construction is 'provided thus renden.

and from. the. head nipples,

ble. By makingthe vhead' 26 movable toward 30, .itis evident that the spokes are drawn tight. withoutlthe use of nuts and .like devices now' generally used in the'construction 'ofwhe'els :of thi-1SA type.v v g Itwill further be-noticed that in casea spoke is broken or injured and needs replacing by a -new one then lit isonly necessary for like manner, -a new spoke may be inserted and its angular member 22 engaged with the""' 'corresponding recess 23, after which the nut 40 is screwedoutwar'd to draw all the spokes vtight, as previously explained.

An annular protecting band 50 extends around the hub intermediate the flanges `27 and 28, and this band is made of leather, cantermediatethe sockets .2O of vals or like flexible material' and is held ink `-extended position by 'a around the hub 10.` The wardor outward onthe threaded-.end 41 of spring 51'A coiled band'` prevents dust and other extraneous matter from clogging upthe threads on the hub 1U.;

Having thus described my invention,"I

1..A wirev sp made in vsections adjustable one relative to the other, each section havingltwov flanges,

a. rim, and

oke wheel", comprising a hubl pairs of front and rear wire` spokes', of which the pairs of front spokes -aresecuredto the flanges of the front hub section and to the rim,

andthe rear, pairsof'spokes are secured to the flanges of the rear hub section and to the said rim,j' the spokes of one pair of spokes crossing each other approximately midwayA between :the .i

hub and theiim and crossingthe spokeso'f th'eother pair between their point of cross-v ing and tlierinL 2. A wire-1 vspoke wheel, coinprising'afhub made' sections `ad]ustable one `relat1-v.e.. tothe ,oth-er, ,eaclise'ction having l'two flanges,V

a and"'p-airs'. of 'frontand -rear wire are fsecured .to the flanges ofthefront hub section'jand 4vto thevrim' and' the' -rea'i" pairs of; l. i

spokes are secured-to thefflangesl of the rear ing pairs of. frontjand rear-'spokes crossing' l each other, theisaidwir'e spokes of the pairs of spokes being'arraiiged 'one relative to the other to forni .a'tfruss construction, .the outer ends of the-.spokes hav-ingbalfandjsoeket connections'withfthe rim, and 'Cheli-nner ends of the spokes having-'angular members engaging non-'radial 'seats' the peripheral faces ofthe hub section'si' .f .f,

' 3.. A wire spoke wheel, comprising ahub made in sections adjustablefone relative to the other,

.wire spokes, o f which the pairs of front spokes connect the front' hub ,section with' the rim andthe'rear pairs of spokes connect the rear hub section with the said rim', corresponding pairs of'front and rear spokes crossing .each other, the. outer ends of the spokeshaving ball and socket connections with' the rim and the inner ends of the spokes having angular members engaging.

non-radial seats iii the peripheral faces of the hub sections,.the said ang lar members being split.

4. In a wire spoke' wheel,- a hub having one end threaded and provided at its other end with a fixed head, a head movable toward and fiom'the fixed head and having an annular peripheral groove, a nut screwing on thehub within theA movable head and having an annular groove registering -with the groove of the-hub, and a ring in the said grooves.

5.` A wire spoke wheel, comprising a rim,

a rim and pairs offrent and rear.

pairs of front and rear wire spokes and a hub, the latter having a double flanged head integral at one end, and a double flanged head movable toward the said fixed head, the spokes of each front pair of' spokes being connected at their inner` ends to the flanges of the said movable head and the spokes of each rear pair of spokes bein@ connected at their inner ends with the fiinges of the said fixed head, the outer ends of the spokes having ball and socket joint connections with the said rim, and a nut screwing on the outer threaded end of the hub and having a polygonal head at its outer end, the said nut carryingthe said movable double flanged headto move the latter bodily toward or from the said fixed head on lcrwing the nut inward or outward on the 6. A wire spoke wheel, comprising a rim, pairs of' front and rear Wire spokes and a hub, the latter having a. double flanged head integral at one end and a double flanged hea/d movable toward the said fixed head, the spokes ofl each front pair of spokes being connected at their inner ends to the flanges of the said movable head and the spokes of each rear pair of spokes being connected at their inner ends with the flanges of the said fixed head, the outer ends of the spokes having ball and socket joint connections with the said rim, and a nut screwing on the outer threaded end 0f the hub and having a polygonal head at its outer end, the said nut carrying the said movable double flanged head to move the latter bodily toward or from the said fixed head on screwing the nut inward or outward on the hub, the said movable head having a key and the hub having a keyway engaged by the said key to hold the movable head 4against turning on screwing the nut inward or outward.

GABRIEL P. B. HOYT. 

